Michelle Sideroff, LPC, Clinical Director
The constant flow of bad news—from money problems to global disasters—is creating a mental health crisis.
Most of us call these difficult situations “stress,” but they are often much deeper. These events can be traumas that change our lives forever.
When we face high levels of this stress, trauma can start to feel “normal.” We might become numb to the pain and unaware of how it is affecting our nervous systems.
When a whole community, family, or nation shares these painful experiences, it is known as collective trauma.
As a society, we often focus on how trauma affects just one person. We sometimes forget to look at how these same events affect our entire community.
Examples of collective trauma include pandemics, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and systemic oppression like racism. When these things happen, a whole group’s nervous system reacts together. This becomes part of the group’s shared memory.
While communities connect through painful feelings like fear and grief, they can also work together to find collective healing and repair.
How We Respond to Trauma
Both individual and collective traumas are deeply distressing experiences. They can shatter our sense of safety, trust, and justice.
When a traumatic event happens—or when we are reminded of it later—our bodies automatically kick into survival mode. You may have heard of these as the “Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn“ responses.
To be clear, these responses are automatic. We do not choose them.
Many people carry shame about how they “should” have responded, but it is important to remember that these are survival instincts. These reactions are managed by the nervous system and are outside of our conscious control.
Common Trauma Responses
According to the National Center of PTSD, trauma can affect us in several ways:
- Physical – Changes in heartbeat, shaking, feeling very tired, headaches, or an upset stomach.
- Thinking – Trouble concentrating, forgetting things, or finding it hard to make decisions.
- Emotional – Feeling anxious, depressed, angry, or guilty. Having mood swings.
- Behavioral – Avoiding people, using substances to numb the pain, or changes in how you eat and sleep.
Why We React Differently
With collective trauma, every person in a family or group will react differently. These differences can sometimes cause even more stress.
For example, one person might remember every tiny detail of a scary event, while another person might struggle to remember anything at all. This can cause tension.
The person who wants to avoid the topic might pull away from a friend who wants to talk about it. It is important to know your own responses and respect that others may have different ones.
Just because someone reacts differently doesn’t mean their experience was “better” or “worse.”
Comparison is the “thief of joy,” but it can also be the thief of compassion.
The Body’s “Alarm System”
Past trauma changes how our bodies handle new stress. Sometimes, our nervous system gets “triggered” and thinks we are in danger even when we are safe.
When this happens, everything feels like an emergency. It is like a loud alarm is screaming in your ears. This creates a “haze” where you feel like you must make a decision right now to find relief.
For example: Think about how you felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you heard someone sneeze or cough, you might have felt a sudden surge of anxiety.
A sneeze by itself isn’t a threat, but during a pandemic, our bodies saw it as a “red flag.” Even after a crisis ends, the body keeps looking for those red flags just to stay safe.
For some communities, these “red flags” never truly go away.
The R.A.C.E. Steps for Relief
While trauma is heavy, we have the power to heal—both alone and together. Part of healing is learning how to ground ourselves in the present moment. You can use the R.A.C.E. steps to help manage your stress.
1. Regulate
When you feel a surge of panic or urgency, remember: not every surge is an emergency. Your first step is to pause and calm your body. You can do this through exercise, yoga, or meditation.
Try this “5-4-3-2-1” Grounding Exercise:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel (like your clothes or the chair)
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
2. Action
Trauma can make us feel powerless. Once you have calmed your body, you can think more clearly about what to do. Not every situation needs a “solution” right away; sometimes, just staying calm is the action.
Focus on what you can control. Do not try to control the final outcome, as that can lead to more stress.
- For Yourself: Try journaling, reading, resting, or cleaning your room.
- For the Community: Join a group exercise class, help with a neighborhood clean-up, or volunteer for a cause you care about.
3. Connect
When we are stressed, we often want to hide away. However, healthy relationships act as a shield against the negative effects of stress. Try to connect with safe, supportive people.
- For Yourself: Listen to podcasts or read stories that remind you that you aren’t alone.
- For the Community: Find a support group, attend a cultural event, or join a book club.
4. Exposure
In a world of constant news, we often feel like we need to know every detail to stay safe. But “over-consuming” bad news doesn’t make us safer—it just makes us more distressed.
- Set a Time Limit: Decide how many minutes a day you will look at news or social media.
- Check the Clock: Don’t look at stressful stories right before bed or during family time.
Pick Your Format: If watching the news is too much, try reading it instead. If the news feels too heavy, look for “positive news” or grounding content to balance it out.
Moving Forward
The mental health crisis we are facing is tied to the constant stress of our world.
We can’t control everything that happens, but we can control how we care for ourselves and our neighbors.
Collective trauma means we are connected by what we’ve survived—but it also means we can work together to thrive.
“We” is the most important ingredient in the solution for our healing.
Michelle Sideroff, LPC is NCC’sClinical Director – providing trauma-informed support to clients across the lifespan. Her practice is rooted in the understanding that many psychological challenges are normal, adaptive responses to abnormal life experiences. By integrating neurobiological frameworks with tailored therapeutic tools, she helps individuals and families navigate the impacts of intergenerational trauma. Michelle is dedicated to fostering lasting resilience and well-being through a compassionate, identity-affirming approach.
Read more about Michelle here.
